PLEASANT VALLEY – The private, single-owner collection of paintings by noted artists from the renowned Hudson River School – 62 works in all – is now held in an online auction that’s to end on Wednesday, Feb. 16.
The Hudson River School consisted of mid-19th century “Nature Painters” who found spirituality in nature. These adventuresome artists hiked to see impressive views. They sketched and did studies in the field to bring back to their studios and create finished paintings. In doing so, these artists celebrated and depicted the pristine magnificence of the American landscape of the period.
The Hudson River served as the main route of travel to the best places; it also provided the best subject matter. New York City, with the National Academy of Design, was at the center of the American art world in the 19th century. Now, seasoned collectors, as well as novices to the genre, can experience the beauty, tranquility and grandness of nature from the palettes of these artists.
The curated auction is from the personal collection of Robert and Susan Doyle of Fishkill, dedicated collectors of the first American School of Art that later became known as the Hudson River School, in upstate New York.
All the paintings are original works and nearly all have been professionally cleaned and conserved. Every painting would be a worthy addition to a collection.
Works of particular interest include the following lots.
Lot 1, by Thomas Benjamin Pope (1834-1891), is an oil on canvas titled View from West Point and is a classic Hudson River School depiction, of a cadet couple looking north toward Pollepel Island and the Northgate to the Highlands. The view has Storm King Mountain on the left and Breakneck Mountain on the right. The work is 12 inches by 22 inches (sight, minus the frame).
Lot 10 is an oil on canvas by William Rickarby Miller (1818-1893), titled View of New York City from Weehawken, NJ. It measures 21 inches by 35 ½ inches and is signed and dated 1860 lower left. Miller was a prolific painter, producing hundreds of watercolors, oils and pen-and-ink sketches. His work can be seen in the collection of the prestigious New York Historical Society.
Lot 60 is an oil on canvas View of Sugarloaf Mountain on the Hudson River with Sailboat by Norton Bush (1834-1894), artist signed and dated 1874. The artwork measures 13 inches by 24 inches (sight, less frame). Through many of his paintings, Bush’s goal was to inspire the viewer with the overwhelming aspects of nature and the diminished relative position of human beings.
Previews are available online, or in person by appointment only (and only to registered bidders), from Feb 2-16 in Fishkill, N.Y. To schedule an in-person preview, you may call Absolute Auction & Realty at (800) 243-0061 or (845) 635-3169; or, you can send an email to [email protected].
For more information visit www.AARauctions.com. Updates are posted often.
